


You thought wrong.

by Coolie



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Disability AU, It's post-game but canon-divergant, Like major AU stuff, Post-Game AU, and rose is blind, dave only has one arm, john is in a wheelchair
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-06-04 15:55:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6664921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coolie/pseuds/Coolie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>EDIT (11/06/2017): I haven't checked this fic in over a year, probably am not gonna edit/add more to it (I'm not interested in Homestuck so much either and all, though, looking back on this, I'm proud of past me for this concept, if nothing else. I'm sorry if you were one of the seven kudo-ers <3 you've probably moved on by now.)<br/>My confidence in writing is fleeting, so I hope to have the same support for this on any future projects I may launch on this acc! Love you, have a nice night. <3</p><p>Myyy first real attempt at a fanfiction! I hope it's ok, please feel free to correct me on things you think are wrong!</p><p>Basic outline of the AU: Beta kids beat their session without a scratch needed, their parents remained dead after Earth was restored, though, and each of the Betas was left with a loss relative to their Godtier. </p><p>Now they all attend University, John and Dave are in the same dorm, Rose is in a different dorm, and Jade lives off-campus in an apartment. (The others are invited to stay, but refuse, since they know how bad Jade's claustrophobia and aversion to human contact can get).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Trouble In Paradise for Mr. Strider

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [under a paper moon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4855811) by [gingerbread man (xphantomhive)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xphantomhive/pseuds/gingerbread%20man). 



> Beta kids beat their session without a scratch needed, their parents remained dead after Earth was restored, though, and each of the Betas was left with a loss relative to their Godtier. 
> 
> John was the Heir of Breath, freedom was what he embodied, and now he is forever anchored to the Earth. 
> 
> Rose was the Seer of Light, now she'll never see the light again.
> 
> Dave was the Knight of Time, now he'll never be able to protect anyone again, with the loss of his sword arm. 
> 
> Jade, being the Witch of Space, can no longer handle small spaces, even some normal-sized rooms if they rub her the wrong way, and especially cannot deal with people touching her or getting in her personal zone.
> 
> Now they all attend University, John and Dave are in the same dorm, Rose is in a different dorm, and Jade lives off-campus in an apartment. (The others are invited to stay, but refuse, since they know how bad Jade's claustrophobia and aversion to human contact can get).
> 
> The trolls are in this too, but they're just humans. Didn't play Sgrub in this AU, always been humans who were just killed in the Reckoning and then brought back. The Alpha kids are the same.

It stung like salt in a wound. A wound that'd been getting reopened and reopened seemingly hundred times over, at the instance of any thought it could heal. Sure, Sburb wasn't a good experience, and you'd like to think, "Hey, maybe the real game was the friends we made along the way!" and you may've even somehow survived that mess. But at what cost...? You and your friends have died horribly, not just you guys either. Hundreds of alternate selves of yours have died, and not even made it to where you are now. Not that where you are now is any better than wherever the fuck those who didn't end up here went. At least not in your lopsided opinion.

 

You were meant to be Gods, you thought. It'd be the reward for our suffering, you thought. You thought, but were dead wrong. Sburb wasn't some kind of treasure hunt, it was a punishment! An obstacle course, which, even when completed, has left you and your friends mementos. What a sick joke. You roll over to the front door to quell the gentle "Bzsst" of the door chime, a girl is standing there. She's probably from the Sorority on campus.

 

Yeah. Even though you won Sburb, no special treatment. You were all basically deposited back out into the world. Which would be fine, except for the fact that you all would need parents or legal guardians of some kind to take care of you. Maybe you should've read the fine print on the "Consenting to the destruction of Earth and the murder of my father" contract, where it CLEARLY (eyeroll) stated he'd never come to life. Even if you won. Never come back. Nope. So of course, you, as well as your companions, were fed into the woodchipper of being ward of the state, and getting comfy and well-aquainted with the children's home you were slam-dunked into.

 

Obviously no-oned wanted the crippled kid. Sigh. Even if you did come with your own accesory kit, hairbrush and other shit included inside! From what your friends have told you, Rose was snatched up by a nice couple who couldn't have children of their own and was "Basically smothered to death gruesomely" by their love. Dave was one of the older children in the home he went to, so rather than putting bows in his hair and lining up to be examined like a piece of meat like some Seven year old, he helped out in the home as if he was a member of staff, must've been a good impression too, because he tells you he never got a single interested parent-to-be. You don't trust his sincerity though, there's no way potential adopters would mistake someone with HIS baby face as an adult staff member. Pfft...

 

Jade, though. She ended up being adopted by an old woman on her last legs. The old woman was kind, Jade gives you the impression of from what she tells you, but she uhh. Kind of died? Yeah, that was pretty awkward to hear Jade splutter out casually. You supposed her bluntness came from the experience having been quite a few years ago, but still. Jade was left with a very sizable inheritence from her adopted mother, too! In fact, it's basically the only reason Dave and yourself are in this Univeristy, greasy part-time job hoppers would have a snowflake's chance in hell at getting into a school like this. This school... Where you were just at before that huge exposition. Earth calling John! _Come in John!!!_

 

"Hey, do you know if Dave's around," the girl's voice is raspy, like nails on a chalkboard, but smoother and deeper than the shrill screech of it, "I've been looking for him but." She gives an overly exaggerated shrug.  
  
"Uh, yeah." You roll your wheelchair back a little from the door. "I think he's in his room. Who should I tell him is at the door for him?" You should prrrrrrrrobably ask Dave if he even wants to see this person before hauling him by the skin of his ass down here or whatever. Seems reasonable.  
  
"Just tell him it's Rezi here." She gives a furrowed-brow and a toothy grin. _*Low whistle*_ you didn't even think human teeth could _BE that sharp!_ Does this girl file them or something??  
  
"Right." You give a simple response as the girl pushes herself in through the doorway, even though it's abrupt and rude and all, she seems to be careful about it. Not the whole "slow, soft, like a bunny" careful, more like "viciously grab the nearest wall-like surface to your side and go go go" type, as she seems to casually support herself with the wall and sit herself down on a couch like she owns the place. Not that you own the place either though.

 

You take the lift up to the second floor. There's only two floors in this set of dorms anyways, you're glad they had a lift here, or you'd be Screwed with a capital S! The doors part ways and as you exit out of the metal box, you catch Dave just as he's just getting back to his room from lunch, take-out lunch bag held like a newborn child being protected from the buffeting wind and hail.  
"Hey- Dave!" You call out at him, startling him only slightly as you can see him squeeze that paper bag a little closer for a moment. He looks up at you casually with his special trademarketed bran of the word "'Sup"

"Your lady friend's come around to find you," you chirped at him, giving him a metaphorical jab in the ribs at a cute girl coming to see him. "Probably to pick you up for your next date?" You take a laugh at your friend's expense.

"Hey shut up!" His brow furrows and there's a sting to what he said, but you know your friend and you know even better that there's no real malice to what he just said. "Look, can you do me a solid and tell her to hit the road."

Dave looks a bit uneasy, so you take that as your own personal cue to poke the bear again. "What's wrong, trouble in Paradise with Mr. and Mrs. Strider?" You beam at him.

His shoulders tense up and he looks annoyed, much to your delight. "Egbert I'll fill you in on the juicy highlights reel of my love life some other year, but for now, can you just tell her to fuck off so I can eat my shitty take-out fried rice before it gets cold."

  
You put your hand to your stomach and give a belly laugh, "Sure, but only if I can have your fourtune cookie!"


	2. John: Be chester the cheetah

No, sadly, you cannot be Chester the Cheetah. He's just too cool to exist on this plane of existence. Looks like you'll just have to settle for being the coolest person in this universe aside from him then.

You are now Dave Strider, and you just got swindled out of your fourtune cookie by a buck toothed Denace the Menace. John went back down to the First floor. You'd feel kind of bad for making your bro deal with Terezi, but if not for him, you'd have to do it instead. And you know, he WAS the one who let her in. Give her an inch and she'll take a mile yadda yadda.  
  
You have to uncerimoniously drop you bag of Chinese takeaway on the floor to whip your door key out of your pocket and unlock your door, you leave it half ajar so you can grab your tasty treat and push your way into your room.

You kind of like it. The shitty dorms. The rooms are small and the beds smell weird, but there's something homely about it all, welcoming to it... Or maybe it's less the dingey rooms and more the fact that your friends no longer are either a) Very far away and can only talk to you via Internet, or b) Stuck with you in Sburb. It's really weird how calm this life is. You're on guard a lot of the time without realizing it, you'll be sitting in a class, writing some sick rhymes you just thought of down on some paper, and some fucker sitting next to you will take it as his right of will to just lean over and snoop his ugly mug all over your masterpieces and it's honestly a blessing you've caught yourself from reacting naturally to the sudden privacy invasions. Okay so maybe that's nothing compared to how personal space being invaded affects JADE, but you still feel anxious more than you should. Sburb's over, you need to chill a bit. Like, you try, but honestly there's only so much of an extent to which you can try to be cool without it turning all gaudy and fake-fucking-tastic and shit. And besides, you're cool enough already, you don't need any extra pizzaz in this pizza.

Man, this fried rice you're stuffing your face with sure is good.

...Ugh, you hear a knock on your door. Can't a man eat in peace. You call to the door with your face full of egg and rice. "Holf on I'm cominh" and manage to will yourself away from your meal to get the door. Oh, hey Rose. Wait no you ass, use your words.

"Oh, hey Rose." Gold star good work.  
"Dave." Rose greets you. Even though she's shorter than you there's something kind of condescending about the way she looks up at you that makes your ears feel cold. It might be the way her eyes don't really meet yours though, but she seems to know exactly where they are anyways."I noticed you were not in the class we share today."  
Fuck. She's coming after you for ditching a single class? Man, she's really something. You're not sure what she is but damn is she it. "I wasn't feeling well so I went back to my dorm to take a nap." You're lying through your teeth and hope she can't smell the Chinese food you ditched class to get.

There's a brief moment of tense silence.

"You know, nothing helps sickness quite like chicken soup... When lacking in that though, I suppose egg fried rice is a close alternative." And with that she's gone from your doorway and down the endless hall of doors, until all you hear is a light tapping of her cane against the wooden floor, and you're left back to your own devices, totally Lalonde-free, much to your glee. Wait no, not glee that's a weird word.

You make an audible sighing noise (well, as close as one can come to a sigh with a spoon jammed in your gob,) when you get some other douchewad knocking on your door. You haul your ass up with every fibre of your being possible, and drudge to your door.

"Hey, Dave!" Oh gee, it's Egbert. You wonder which other member of your extensive harem of female persons it is he's come to tell you has come to the doorstep to bite your dick off.  
"'Sup?" You ask.  
  
"You know how that girl came over and then I came to you and then you told me to go BACK to her to get her out of here...?" His eyes shift away from you, maybe he's admiring the sweet fake sword you have on your wall, maybe he's avoiding eye contact. "Well I uh.. Got her out. But she said she'd be coming back tomorrow."  
  
Oh what great news.  
  
"Damn. Well, when she comes back, do me a solid and deal with her as my personal bodyguard, will you?" John gives a "Yeah, sure" response and you guys wrap up your little exchange.

  
Why's Terezi so insitant on coming to see you. It's not like you did anything wrong, even! She was fooling around with some other douchebag when you guys were dating, so you dumped her, how did that make YOU the bad guy? Exactly. You wish you could just tell her to fuck off and she'd actually fuck off.  
  
_When you finally got back to your meal, it was colder than a witch's teat._


	3. Speaking of Witches...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are now Jade. Yes, okay, that was a crappy way to link to our next heroine, but that's not what matters! Right now, all that matters to you is jotting down everything your teacher is saying. And also the cute puppy video you're secretly watching on your phone under the desk. That's important to you too.  
> (Sorry for the short-ish chapter!)

You feel a tap on your shoulder and you freeze up, trying to not let your breathing change, you don't want to embarass yourself publically! Besides, you've been training yourself at getting better at being touched randomly by people. At least you think so.

It's a girl, you look to your side, she's got scruffy, choppy hair, that looks like it was cut with garden clippers much to your humour. She's also sporting a warm looking cat hat. Maybe a little TOO warm for the middle of Summer, but then again, you saw like Two people earlier in sweaters so maybe it's just a trend at this place.  
"That video you're watching is super cute...!" She says in a hushed tone so that she doesn't draw attention. Her voice is sugarfly-sweet and cute, too cute. Is this girl like, Seven? She looks so young, but it's silly to think she'd be so young!

  
"I'm Nepeta by the way!" She's speaking at a normal volume now, probably because now she isn't talking about what's going on in puppytown. She grins toothily at you and you notice she's missing a tooth, just like a scrappy little kid.

  
"I'm Jade, nice to meet you!" You give a buck-toothed grin at your neighbour. You hadn't expected to meet anyone quite so friendly in this horticulture class but you totally welcome this turnabout with all your heart!  
"This horticulture class is pretty great, isn't it?" You direct your enthusiasm towards this new girl and catch the sudden shock on her face.

"...Wait, horticulture?" She gasps, jaw to the floor.  
She starts packing up her stuff, looking quite embarassed "I'm in the wrong class...." Her cheeks are red and she's just too adorable. You get her attention before she's done packing and ask for her phone number, "So I can send you some puppy videos" you tell her.  
You're going to send this girl soooooo many puppy videos.  
  
She leaves an empty seat behind her as she leaves, you think everyone's settled down now, so you didn't expect it when somebody else waltzed in, fashionably late.  
She was like a total statuesque embodiment of grace itsself! She swayed casually and gracefully and took the seat beside you all in one smooth action, and began taking books out of what you could reassuredly assume was a designer bag.  
  
You're kind of jealous and you don't even like handbags.  
  
"Hey there, I'm Jade!" this time you took the initiative to greet the person in that particular seat with a smile. They responded with a simple "Hello" and told you their name was "Kanaya". She seems nice but compared to the girl who was here before, you miss Nepeta's energeticness!  
  
You sure meet some mildly interesting people in horticulture. /s


	4. Kitty-Back Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The huntress has an adventure on the road to finding her Art classroom.

Jade: Be Rose.  
Sorry, but you can't be Rose! She is preoccupied right now. If you wish to leave a message with her answering machine though, you may be her as soon as she's available.  
For now, let's be that friendly kid who walked into the wrong class.

You are now Nepeta Leijon, a fearsome hunter of great beasts many times your size! You slink through the halls gracefully and dangerously, you'd just walked into the wrong class. But no, you meant to do that! Yeah...!  
Okay so maybe you have no idea where your class actually is or where you are right now.  
The halls are practically empty by now, so all you can do is wander about like a little kitty wraith.  
Oh! OH!!! "Equius!" You call out at the friendly face who'd just walked out of a bathroom's door, well, by walked, you mean more like ducked under the door frame and tried to not hit his head. Your buddy sure is tall, maybe that's why his teammates on the rugby field look nervous whenever they train together.

He turns to acknowledge you and you take this as your cue to run to him and wrap your arms around him as best you can. "I haven't seen you all day!" You purr at him. It's true, too, you both take wildly different classes so you never see each other until school's over or when there's no classes on. Which, yeah, admittedly it's not too bad, but it's a lot more seperation than when you two were in Highschool together and nobody could pull you guys apart. Especially not physically. Another nod to Equius' physique.

He returns your hug, albeit he's obviously trying to be gentle. He's a big guy who sometimes doesn't know his own strength, but he's always been careful with you! He smiles at you with a set of bent and broken teeth and gives you a "Hi, Nepeta."

  
You look up at him and say "I hope you rempurred to wash your hands!" And you stick your little pink tongue out at him cheekily with a grin.

He just reprimands you, "Nepeta, I wish you wouldn't make such filthy jokes." And you pout at him.  
"Nepeta, what are you doing out of class? I hope you're not skipping, the term has only just started." Boy he's quick to make that assumption! Okay so maaaaybe you skipped class once or twice in your life. But that was in Highschool! Geez!

  
"I went to the wrong class, Equihiss," you give him a grumpy look."Theeen I got lost. And then I found you!" You give him a quick recap of your adventure.  
  
"Oh. Do you need help finding your class?" He asks.  
  
"Equiuuus!" You whine, "shouldn't YOU be in class too?" You poke one of your little chubby fingers into his tummy playfully.  
  
"...Yes. But I'm sure it'd be excusable if I were late to return from the bathrooms because I was assisting somebody in finding their own class." Gosh, the way he says things sometimes sounds soooo boring. You know he's doing robotics classes, but from the way he talks he could EASILY be doing History :PP.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, okay..." You nod your head at him. "Can you give me a kitty-back ride on the way though?" Your eye has a mischevious glint in it as he kneels down and lets you up onto his back, you scramble on like a cat up a tree and sit on his shoulders as he rises back to his feet again like a big sweaty elevator going up.  
You give him the name of your classroom and on the way you make horse clip-clop noises with your mouth. You don't really like or dislike horses, but you know Equius has a place in hisbig sweaty heart just for them and you know doing this makes him happy.  
He lets you off outside of your classroom and you give him a "Thank-you!" and a hug goodbye before you go in. You saunter in and take the empty seat next to your friend.  
  
"The feline huntress clambers into the room beside her friend, yawning and flexing her claws after a long day of hunting." You greet her quietly.  
You always greet her first because you're pretty sure she can't tell what your face looks like. She knows your voice, though. She's got really bad eyesight but refuses to wear prescription glasses, just cherry tinted spectacles. She says she prefers to sense things using smell. You think she's joking though. Noone can pawsibly see using their nose.. Right?  
  
"GC claws at her desk boredly, this teachers been droning on for ages and all the mighty dragon wants to do right now is eat her whole." Terezi whispers back to you with a shark-toothed grin.  
You guys love to rp with each other as your personas, even in real life... You have to be quiet about it outside of LARP club though, kids used to pick on in Highschool about it, so the two of you are a bit more cautious.  
  
Well, you're more cautious for the potential bully's sake. Equius wouldn't stand for you getting picked on.  
Terezi can handle herself. You're pretty sure you've seen some boys shit themselves at her glare. 


	5. Nepeta: Flip-flop back to Jade

Nepeta: Be Jade again.  
What an easy transition. A bit too easy. Suspicious... But nevermind.  
You are now Jade again, even though Jade was the focus of our attentions merely moments ago, not much could really be said, her Horticulture class was pretty boring, but more interesting is afterwards her neighbour had invited her along somewhere after the two of you were done with all your classes at the end of the day.

You are now sitting in a small bistro with a girl named Kanaya. It smells like ham and spices, and it's making you drool ever so slightly. Kanaya doesn't seem to mind though.  
You two have been talking, despite her basic introductions with you, once you got to the bistro, she really opened up, promptly apologising for her quietness during class. "I just really wanted to make sure I got down potentially important notes," she'd said.

You two had settled down at a table by a window with your food- Kanaya had ordered a cesar salad with some sweet-smelling tea, and you yourself had ordered a big, meaty sandwhich with a can of juice. While she ate with a bit of reservation to her, you had to resist the urges to cram the sandwhich down your mighty gullet. She was talking to you about her gardening, since the two of you were both in a Horticulture class together, it's pretty obvious you'd share that interest. Your eyes are big and shiny and your cheeks are full as you listen to her talk about her crysanthimums or whatever.  
  


"[...] So the netting has since proved it is helpful to keep the slugs away. But enough about that, what about you? What garden exploits do you have to tell," Kanaya phrased it like a question, but her tone of voice didn't match it.

"Oh!" You didn't really have a big garden when you were staying with your adopted mother, she had a big backyard but it was mostly taken up by a big patio and stuff. That and you didn't really NEED to garden for your food like you did when you were living on your own on that island. You miss that island. You wonder sometimes what happened to Bec...

"I haven't been doing much gardening recently, actually. I used to do a lot of it when I was a little girl, I used to grow my own pumpkins and flowers, and it was great! Tasty, too. Yum." You licked the side of your lip remembering nights of roast pumpkin for supper.

"I am terribly sorry for making an assumption about your hobbies-" Kanaya begins, but you cut her off just as she finishes her sentence.

"No no it's fine! No biggie at all!" You give her a wild grin and hope there's no lettuce or anything stuck in your teeth. Oh well whatever you wouldn't really care too much if there was anyways.

You two continue your back and forth until Kanaya suddenly gets a text on her phone, and says she has to go. "[...] It was lovely to talk to you, but my friend has just called me and I need to meet with him. I will see you in class later!" She gives you a small smile as she gathers up her bag and books and leaves the bistro.  
  


You get the rest of your sandwhich in a doggy bag before heading home yourself.  
No need to waste good food- _Yum!_

 

\-- -- --

  
The bus ride over to your apartment is pretty uneventful.  
Well, no, that's not entirely true. Something pretty neat did happen! Well, maybe?  
There were two people making out at the back of the bus. It wasn't really... That interesting, but it was something that happened. It just made the entire bus ride uncomfortable more than anything, though. Eh.

Well, that aside, you're glad to be home! You peeked out a window after getting comfortable and changing into some soft pyjamas, boy, the sun's already setting! Either the sun's ahead of schedule or you and Kanaya talked for a really long time.

She seemed nice! Reminds you a bit of your good friend Rose, though. Maybe the two could be friends...? They seem like they'd get along, and Kanaya gives you the vibes that she's the type of person who reads lots of books. Rose likes books! She--

Oh. Right, nevermind.

Well, still!!! Rose has still read a lot of books in her life, and if the two have read any similar ones, maybe they could get along through that? Worth a shot, you reckon...!  
You give Rose a ring on her cellphone and she picks up, you can hear the faint woof of Rose's guide dog in the background of the phonecall and you smile to yourself. He's a cute woof-woof yes he is. Bork bork bork.  
  


"Yes? This is Rose speaking, who is this calling?" she chimes.

"Hey Rose! It's me, Jade!" You say, a little too eager.

"Oh, hello Jade." You think you can hear a smile in her voice but you just can't be sure.

"So, like, hey, have you ever met this girl named Kanaya? She's tall and she's got short hair and-- Um, her voice sounds kind of like this..." You give a quick impression of what you think Kanaya's voice sounds like, trying to catch yourself where you blundered.  
Sometimes you forget about the physical disabilities your friends got, somehow. Yeah, you know, it sounds stupid and silly, how you could forget something so big. Well it... Yeah, you shouldn't be messing this up so easily... Ughh. You can be so inconsiderate sometimes.

"I don't believe I've met anybody with that name, no. I think I would have remembered such a unique name." Rose is right here, her name was pretty nice. You have no idea where it possibly could've come from, but you felt like it might've been rude to ask about it.

"Well, she's this girl in my Horticulture class, she seems nice and- And, I thought you two seemed like you'd _totally_ get along!" You smile into the reciever, "She actually reminded me quite a bit of you!"  
  


You talk back and forth with Rose for a little bit about Kanaya, Rose agrees she'll meet her if you can arrange it. You'll talk to Kanaya tomorrow when you see her in class next about meeting Rose. For now _?_ It's Jade-Time, guest starring the TV and a bag of cheese snacks.

  
_This is the **LIFE...**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( Sorry for the kind of uninteresting chapter. I just wanted to start setting things up for Rose and Kanaya to meet, and I wanted Jade to do a little bit more and get acquainted with someone! )


End file.
